A commonly used black-and-white silver halide photographic material (for X-ray, plate-making, microphotography, negative, etc.) is conventionally developed with an alkaline developer comprising hydroquinone as a developing agent and a 3-pyrazolidone compound or aminophenol compound as an auxiliary developing agent, and then subjected to fixing and rinsing (stabilization) to form an image thereon. In this development process, a high active developer containing a large amount of hydroquinone as a developing agent is used. In the conventional method, such a developer is replenished in a large amount in spite of air oxidation to maintain its high activity. However, hydroquinone has been at issue due to its safety. A sulfite used for the prevention of oxidation of hydroquinone causes a silver halide to be dissolved in the developer. The silver halide is then reduced to silver which then occurs so-called silver stain. Thus, alternatives to hydroquinone have been required. One of alternative approaches is to use an ascorbic acid and/or its derivative as developing agents. However, an ascorbic acid and its derivative have been known disadvantageous in that when oxidized in an alkaline developer, they produce an acid to lower the pH value of the developer and that when used to develop a silver halide photographic material, the pH drop of the developer is great as compared with use of hydroquinone.